Foundation for a building structure

ABSTRACT

A building construction in which a floor story of the building rests on a foundation which, in turn, lies on the ground. An insulated and separate service space has been created beneath the floor story of the living accommodation, with room for accommodating heating, ventilation, and water supply systems as well as electrical systems. The insulated service space is formed mainly by the floor story of the building, a ground insulating layer, and a surrounding foundation wall. A gap is provided between the insulated service space and the first story with the gap extending along the inside of each foundation wall. A heating source is provided within the service space and exhausts heated air directly into the service space with the heated air flowing upwardly through the gap into the first story area.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to a method for constructing a buildingfoundation and also to a building foundation constructed in accordancewith the method where the floor storey rests essentially on thefoundations, which lie on the ground.

2. Description of the Prior Art

In earlier times, it was usual to construct buildings or houses directlyon the ground with earthen floors. Later on, buildings were providedwith better floors comprised of floor boards which were laid directly onthe ground. As time progressed, however, building constructions wereimproved and the floor was raised from the surface of the ground,therewith enabling the floor to be insulated. A cavity was definedbetween floor and ground surface. This type of foundation is oftenreferred to today as a "cottage foundation". However, foundations ofthis kind must always be ventilated in order to avoid moisturepenetrating into the floor structure. With the passage of time, itbecame more and more usual to excavate the entire foundation area,including blasting and removal of rock, so as to enable the constructionof a complete cellar or basement storey. The cellar could then be usedas a larder and also as a place in which present-day heating boilerarrangements could be installed. The important cellar breakthrough, inconstruction terms, arrived when it became possible to excavate with theaid of mechanical equipment. In the present time, the endeavour toreduce building costs has been the prime reason why building contractorshave departed from the cellar concept to a large extent. In addition,the need to store food and the like in cellar premises is not asprevalent today as it was earlier.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

With the intention of simplifying the construction of a building and itspossible conversion, and therewith to reduce building costs, obtainimproved heating economy, to simplify electrical wiring and to affordready access to building running and operating systems, there has beendeveloped a method for the provision of a service foundation whichdefines air gaps relative to a building structure and a servicefoundation with gaps, where an insulated and separate service space isprovided beneath the floor of the living quarters of the building, thisspace providing adequate for room to accommodate all devices used, forinstance, for heating, ventilate and water-supply purposes. Theinsulated service space is generally defined by the bottom floor of thebuilding, a ground-supported insulating layer and a surrounding,insulating foundation wall or corresponding structural element. Disposedbetween the insulated space and a first storey of the building is a gapwhich extends along the inside of the outer wall and through which airis able to pass and wires and cables can be drawn. The insulated spaceis conveniently provided with a central passage, dike or the like whichcan be used as a corridor should the height of the insulating space befound insufficient for comfortable handling of appliances installed inthe service space.

In order to show that a service foundation in which air gaps that leadto the overlying building structure constitutes a fundamentally novelconcept within the building construction field, a comparison will now bemade with the earlier car manufacturing principles practiced inaccordance with the concepts and ideas of Henry Ford. When the firstautomobile was to be manufactured, the car manufacturer first madeenquiries of the wheel manufacturer who was capable of delivering themost suitable wheels, and then the vehicle lighting manufacturer who wascapable of delivering the most suitable vehicle lighting, etc. Themanufacturers entrusted by the automobile manufacturer studied hisrequirements and needs and, in competition with other possiblesuppliers, delivered its products and probably also contributed withproposals concerning the most attractive design products possible. Inthe continued development of automobile manufacture, it became obviousthat the Ford manufacturer, as with all other vehicle manufacturers,decided exactly what should be delivered with regard to design in theform of technical solutions. Had the automobile not been controlled"centrally" from a main principal responsible for total production,present-day vehicle lamps would have the form of separate units, whereastoday vehicle lamps form a part of the fender wing, or rather a part ofthe chassis, as parts of the total solution.

The art of building construction has a totally different background anddevelopment. Before the industrial breakthrough, the constructionaldesign of a building, or house, was the responsibility of one man. Eventhough different crafts had been developed, the work of each craftsmanin the creation of the house, or building, could be controlled by thebuilding contractor or master builder. Deviations from a given buildingplan became difficult to achieve, both with regard to economy and alsowith regard to functional adaptation of the building to accommodateservice units, etc. Consequently, the building construction industry hasdigressed still further from the total concept of enabling optimationsand synergistic effects to be achieved, primarily with regard todetached houses. In the case of very large building projects, it ispossible that building construction will be influenced, in certainaspects, by higher authorities, such as planning authorities.

In the changing world in which we live, the need for completely newproducts arises. Because of the drastic increase in energy costs, it isnecessary to save energy in different ways. For instance, 20-30% of theheat generated in a building escapes through the windows of thebuilding, and consequently either the window surfaces must be madesmaller or better insulated. Energy is also consumed by ventilation, andhence heat recovery systems become desirable and further apparatus andsystems to this end are developed commercially.

However, there is no institution, authority or body in present-daysociety whose function is to develop a total concept which includesoptimal building construction solutions, in the same manner as theautomobile manufacturer. Seen objectively, the design and desire foroptimation should extend further than the actual building constructiontechnology itself and should also include social and community-economicfactors. The need for novel forms of domestic housing should also bedeveloped and considered in the total solutions, because of changedsocial conditions.

The automobile is adapted to the nature of the roads on which it isdriven. When improved roads are built which permit higher vehiclespeeds, the engine power of the vehicle is adapted hereto. Tire studswere introduced by the automobile industry in order to enhance trafficsafety. This introduction was first accepted and then forbidden whenweighing-up the community-economic factors involved, on the basis ofexperience. When the ordinary family wished to carry more baggage in thetrunk, or boot, and to provide space for children in the back seat, theautomobile manufacturers responded by appropriate automobile design,including divided back supports in the cars produced thereby.

The industry which serves the building branch adapts itself in certainrespects to our changing world. As a result of social developments inthe community, dwellings now stand empty over an eight-hour period eachcalendar day, when both parents are at work and their children areeither at school, kindergarten and like organizations. This increasesthe risk of robbery and theft, and consequently burglar alarms are soldfor connection to door locks, etc.

It is not least conceivable to connect to the door lock a mechanicalventilation system which is adapted to a contemplated maximum load.Although a product of this kind would probably be difficult to sell as aseparate unit, it would constitute a relatively small part of the totalconcept. If heat recovery from exhaust air is effected by heating thehot tap water instead of the supply air, this saving possibility islimited. Thus, this is one of the many examples of the presentcomplication of the technique which necessitates consideration of theconsequences to the total solutions. The conclusion is thus that thefact that the dwelling is empty for eight hours each calendar day shouldbe made a basis on which technical solutions are found.

The present invention is a first link in the creation of economicconditions for a company to introduce a total concept which requiresincorporeal rights so that the necessary investments made have areasonable chance of being recovered.

Consequently, with the introduction of mechanical ventilating systems inpresent-day dwellings, instead of natural ventilation, a logical step inthe development has been to construct an insulated and separate servicespace, which is formed with a surrounding gap so that the space willform part of the ventilation system, which need not cost more than aheated foundation or part of a low-rise house foundation (not solelyplinths) or a bottom slab, but which will provide a number ofinstallation-technical advantages and energy savings. Even thoughbuildings are still constructed essentially on the ground, the mainadvantages of an insulated and separate space beneath the floor storeyis still utilized and availed upon. All technical appliances belongingto the building can be placed in this insulated space. Because thesetechnical appliances can be placed within such space, the installationcan be simplified and made less expensive while retaining the effect ofsuch appliances. Requirements with regard to aesthetic appearance can bereduced and the need of casings and housings to meet these requirementsno longer exist. Functional requirements become more important thanaesthetic appearance than when the appliance/apparatus is placed in thedomestic living area. Future complementary installations, modificationsor changes in building design can be achieved in a simpler fashion withthe insulated service foundation, without adding to the expense. Theventilation system can be designed so that all channels are accessiblefor cleaning purposes. Appropriate conduits are drawn from the wetspaces essentially vertically down to the service space, where theconduit can be diverted horizontally. An inspection flap, hatch or thelike through which the entire conduit can be reached may be fitted inthe conduit elbow. The roof of a corridor space may be lowered and maderemovable, to simplify access.

In the case of a house which includes a service foundation, running ofthe apparatus and appliances can be checked and controlled andmaintained without service personnel or craftsmen needing to enter theliving accommodation of the building concerned and without theassistance of any other person. A code lock fitted to the door orentrance hatch to the service foundation will allow only authorizedaccess to the service space.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A illustrates schematically an electrical installation in a housewhich includes an inventive, insulated service foundation.

FIGS. 1B and C illustrate a moveable electric contact in detail.

FIG. 2A illustrates schematically the manner in which ventilation can bein a house which includes an inventive insulated service foundation.

FIG. 2B illustrates the passage of air through a gap defined between anexternal wall and the floor.

FIG. 2C illustrates the passage of air through an opening provided in akitchen space.

FIG. 3A illustrates schematically how room heat and hot tap water can beobtained in a house which includes an inventive insulated servicefoundation.

FIG. 3B illustrates schematically the positioning of a radiator adjacenta gap defined by an outer wall and a floor structure.

FIG. 4 illustrates schematically the manner in which an open oven can beinstalled in a house provided with an inventive insulated servicefoundation.

FIG. 5A illustrates schematically the provision of a corridor-likerecess in an insulated service foundation.

FIG. 5B is a top view of part of the foundation illustrated in FIG. 5A.

FIG. 6 depicts the embodiment of FIG. 4 when including insulation on theground floor of the foundation.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The coldest zone of a ground-erected dwelling is always located at thetransition between floor and external wall. It is therefore natural toheat this zone first. Present-day dwelling houses are more often thannot ventilated mechanically, and it is therefore more natural to heatsuch dwellings by heating the ventilation air in one way or another.Direct-acting electrical elements are nowadays avoided, whereas the useof water which has been heated with the aid of electrical appliances is,on the other hand, accepted. It is therefore more appropriate toposition heat-emitting water-carrying elements in a manner such as toforce the mechanically distributed air flow to pass over such elements.The elements, or radiators, are therefore normally placed beneathwindows in external walls, although they occupy valuable space.

In the case of the described exemplifying embodiment of the inventiveservice foundation, the water-carrying heating elements are, instead,positioned in the vicinity of a gap which extends between floor andexternal wall, beneath the floor structure. The heating elements mayhave a known construction. The heating elements can be controlled in atraditional fashion, with the aid of thermostats and the air-exchangecan be held at a constant level irrespective of prevailing differencesin room temperature.

When a ground-erected building includes an insulated service space 1,all service equipment can be installed quickly and inexpensively and thefloor can be heated as a synergistic effect of the design of theventilation system used. In this regard, an air gap 2 is providedbetween the floor and an external wall and is terminated in the room bymeans of a skirting element 3 which is spaced at a convenient distancefrom the wall, for instance a distance of about 5-7 mm. The skirting 3is placed around the room at a uniform distance from the wall and willfunction as a shade moulding or ledge similar to a ceiling shademoulding. The shade moulding need only be connected to the insulatedcreep space. An electric conductor 4 for the provision of a wall socket5 may also extend in the gap 2. The main cable is laid so that the wallsocket can be located as far away as possible, i.e., at a location wherethe longest cable is required. When it is desired to move the wallsocket to another location, which requires the use of a shorter cable,the excess cable length is simply pushed down into the gap 2, or throughthe gap, along the external wall. The wall socket 5 is suitablyconstructed so that outgoing cables or wires can be connected "frombeneath", thereby imparting an aesthetic and attractive appearance tothe installation and, possibly, also making the installation morechild-safe. Neither is it possible to look into the plugs or electriccontacts in a conventional manner. Because the foundation has a servicespace, the entire "fuse-box" assembly can be placed in the space andgiven a configuration which resembles the electrical fuse boxes usedduring construction work, i.e., the aesthetic appearance of the fuseboxes become less important. The entrance to the service space may beprovided, for instance, in the floor of a wardrobe or closet, or in oneside thereof. It shall be possible to operate electric installationswith low electric currents. Accordingly, low-current conductors may bedrawn from wall sockets to door linings or the like pre-fitted withlow-current contacts. Ceiling lighting can, in principle, be avoided,and lighting can be fitted above the windows, so as to illuminate theceiling indirectly and the room directly. The lighting effect obtainedin this way resembles the effect of daylight, in distinction to thelighting effect of a centrally located ceiling lamp.

Electric cables have hitherto been housed in plastic tubes which areoften let into the walls of the room concerned. The method of procedurein this regard may be governed by the building material used. With theplastic tubes in place in the building structure, one or more electriccables are then drawn into the tubes. These cables are then connected toboxes for wall sockets, electric switches or electrically-operateddevices. These boxes must also be let into the wall concerned, which isa time-consuming and therewith a cost-demanding task, and the workingsteps of drawing the cable or cables must also be coordinated with otherstages of construction work.

In the illustrated insulated service space, there is mounted a fuse box6 from which electric cables extend. For instance, there is shown acable which extends from the fuse box to the underside of a wardrobe 7in the house or dwelling. The floor beneath the wardrobe is providedwith a hole into which a hatch is fitted in the bottom of the wardrobe.The hole provided in the floor must be sufficiently large to enable amulti-path electrical contact to be inserted without needing to bedismantled. A cable 8 is laid from the space beneath the wardrobe, e.g.,in a groove provided in the skirting or in the gap formed between walland skirting. The wall socket 5 may conveniently be positioned with acable length which permits the wall socket to be placed as far away aspossible from the wardrobe. The wall socket can then be moved along theentire wall, although the excess cable length 4 must then be pushed downin the gap defined by the service foundation along an external wall ofthe housing and there allowed to hang freely. When installing, forinstance, a washing machine, dishwashing machine or stove, the supplierof these appliances can fit a cable or lead of sufficient length toenable respective appliances to be connected to the fuse box 6. The plugitself is passed through a sufficiently large hole 9 provided in thefloor beneath the machine or appliance concerned, and the holesubsequently blocked with a loose stopper that is provided with anappropriate cable throughlet.

Water may be delivered to the house from an external source or from awell that has been drilled beneath the dwelling prior to itsconstruction and subsequently connected to the service space beneath thedwelling. There need be no problem in locating the well in the spacebeneath the house when using modern submersible pumps. The sewage systemmay be constructed in a conventional manner, although with a facilityfor recovering thermal energy from hand basins, baths and showers, thiswater, subsequent to recovering its thermal energy content being used,for instance, for toilet-flushing purposes. The insulated servicefoundation provides good access during and after the installation ofwater and sewage systems. Installation work is greatly simplified by thefact that no high demands are placed on insulation and that the conduitsrequired need not be built into floor and wall structures. Allinstallations are readily accessible for service and for futuremodifications. A heating coil provided with a cold water pipe or hose 25can be placed in the service space 1 for heating the cold water.

The majority of modern dwellings are ventilated mechanically. From theaspect of energy savings, it has been found necessary also to recoverenergy from the air used. In accordance with traditional buildingtechniques, the ventilation ducts and channels have always beeninstalled completely or partially outside the heated volume, for examplein the attic space, which is often not insulated. This places highdemands on insulation in order to avoid thermal losses. The air isdelivered in a direction which is the reverse to natural circulation.

By placing the mechanical ventilation equipment in the insulated servicespace, it is possible to draw the requisite pipes and channelscompletely through a heated volume. The service space 1 itselfconstitutes a channel for supply air to all internal spaces and containshot air which delivers heat and essentially soundless air flow throughthe aforesaid gap. All air, or solely air from the wet spaces, can becaused to pass through a heat-exchanger 11 which functions to heat thefresh air 12 taken in from the external surroundings. The fresh air 13leaving the heat-exchanger may thus be partially heated, but may alsorequire additional heating. This additional heat can be delivered by theair through the radiators 14, which are also placed in the service spacein the vicinity of the floor structure, along the outer walls of thefoundation. Air circulation from spaces other than the wet spaces can beachieved with the aid of one or more separate fans or blowers. The typeof fan used will preferably be characterized by low energy consumption,a long useful life and low sound level. A considerably simpler andtherewith cheaper ventilation installation can be achieved by means ofthe insulated service space. The direction of the various air flows isindicated in the drawings by means of arrows, wherein the arrow 26identifies exhaust ventilation air.

Any water of condensation that is generated in the ventilation systemcan be readily returned to the ventilated air in the service space, soas to maintain the correct relative humidity through direct absorptionof the condensation by the hot air flow.

It is fully conceivable for the insulated service space to form anindependent insulated unit or an insulated unit in which room is foundfor all of the technical functions of the house concerned, even withoutmechanical ventilation and heat recovery from the exhaust air. When anair gap is provided around respective outer walls, it is alsoconceivable to heat the fresh air taken into the insulated service spaceand therewith heat the floor. The heated air then passes through thegap, through the storey space and out of the house by naturalcirculation. The provision of an insulated, separate and closed servicespace, will always result in improved heat economy, either with orwithout the aforesaid arrangements. The heated floor enables thebuilding to be maintained generally at a lower temperature. Moisturethat may penetrate into the insulated service space will never have adeleterious effect, provided that the space is adequately ventilated andprovided with drainage possibilities.

All units included in the complete system for heating 15-17 of theradiators 14 and the hot tap water have also been placed in the heated,insulated service space 1, although control panel regulators 18 andthermostats 19 have been placed in corridors or the like in the dwellingarea. As before mentioned, the coldest zone of a dwelling is always inthe region between floor and outer wall. Accordingly, the house is bestheated by placing the radiators 14 immediately beneath the floorstructure, along the major length of the outer walls close to the gap 2defined between outer wall and floor.

The radiators 14 may be a novel type of radiator comprised of arelatively slender tube provided with a large number of radial copperwires which conduct heat from the hot water carried by the pipe.Individual heating along different part-lengths can be obtained with theaid of twin conductors. The radiators can be secured directly to theactual floor structure itself, therewith making installation of theradiators a simple matter. A control cable can be extended from theradiators up to the heated space and coupled to a thermostat 19. Theventilation air, which may already be partially heated, passes from theinsulated service space and around the radiators and is thereby furtherheated before passing through the slots or gaps 2 between floor andouter walls to the living quarters, and therewith deliver heat uniformlyto the rooms, the temperatures of which shall be capable of beingcontrolled individually.

A heating system installed in the insulated space may comprise animmersion heater with circulation pump 15, expansion vessel 16,radiators 14 and a water heater 17. The control arrangement and controlpanel 18 are placed in the living area. Alternatively, heating can beachieved with the aid of a heat pump. Hot and cold water pipes aresuspended from or placed on the "shelf" formed by the higher plane inthe service foundation in relation to a "corridor" in which a person isable to stand erect or essentially erect beneath the overhead flooring.These hot and cold water pipes are led directly through the floor torespective consumer units. Any surplus heat from the water pipes anddrains may be used to heat the air in the service space. Moisturepenetrating the service space or water leaking thereinto from the watersystem can be readily detected and need not therefore damage theinsulation in the service space to any appreciable extent. Theinsulation 20 may consist essentially of loose, supportive slabs orblocks of insulating material, for instance Frigolite, placed directlyon the ground. It may be necessary to smooth the surface of the groundor to place shape-adapting insulating mats beneath the slabs or blocksso that the slabs or blocks will lie firmly. The service space, which isinsulated downwards, may be provided with a thin layer of cement and afloor drain 24, so that the space can be readily cleaned by rinsing-downthe floor and walls of the space with water. When desired, the groundsurface can be prepared to enable moisture and/or water to draintherefrom. Since all of the water supply pipes lie in the insulatedspace, there is no risk of the pipes freezing. All systems, includingair purifying filters, telephone lines and central vacuum cleanerslocated in the insulated service space are readily accessible forservice, maintenance, etc., by making the service space large or, forinstance, providing the space with a central passageway 28 or corridorwhich affords standing height on the floor plane. Drainage pipes arelaid in the passageway or corridor, together with a floor drain 24 whichfunctions to collect any water entering from a leak in the systems, forinstance.

The use of fire for heating living accommodations or dwelling houses hasbeen developed over the past centuries. Tiled stoves were an advancedsolution in their time and while producing immediate heat alsofunctioned as a heat storage means. In modern times, the tiled stove hasbeen replaced with the open fire with its much larger and morefascinating fireplace, although the thermal efficiency of an open fireis much lower than that of a tiled stove. Within the last twenty years,different forms of oven inserts and so-called free-standing heaters havebeen made available, these appliances holding and distributing heat to abetter extent even when the fire has been extinguished or died out.

In the case of a built-in oven 21 provided with air-heating ducts 22,hot air can be delivered to the insulated service space for furtherdistribution and for heating any incoming fresh air. The heated air canthen be delivered to the living space through the gaps 2 defined betweenouter walls and floor. Such an oven construction may also be providedwith an insert for water-heating and air-heating, of the kind whichcomprises a multi-jacket encasing 2 for the flue passage or duct, wherethe internal, mutually concentric tubes contain therebetweenwater-carrying pipes for heating household water, and the outer,mutually concentric pipes provide therebetween space for an air flow,for instance an incoming flow of fresh air, while heating said air. Whenthe building concerned is provided with a service space, the water andair heating arrangement can be made readily accessible from below, forservice and maintenance purposes. The service foundation will alsosimplify the work of de-sooting and removing ash from the pipes andducts concerned, by placing beneath the flue duct in the service space aremovable flap which provides immediate access to the flue channel.

Although the invention has been described and illustrated with referenceto exemplifying embodiments thereof, it will be understood that theinvention is not restricted to these embodiments and that modificationscan be made within the scope of the following claims.

We claim:
 1. A building foundation of a building having at least abottom story with a floor, which building foundation includes aninsulated service space for the accommodation of house-runningappliances and service appliances, and a heating means located in saidinsulated service space, said service space being located between saidfloor and the ground and being limited by encircling external foundationwalls, said floor and said foundation walls defining an opensubstantially horizontal gap along said foundation walls, through whichgap said service space directly communicates with a space above saidfloor, said gap allowing air flow and cable drawing therethrough, saidheating means exhausting heated air directly into said service space toform an insulated heated service space and causing said heated air toflow upwardly through said gap to heat an area above said first floor.2. A building foundation according to claim 1, including a heat-emittingfacility located in the vicinity of said gap beneath said floor, saidfacility having the form of at least one radiator.
 3. A buildingfoundation according to claim 1, including ventilation means (11)arranged in said service space.
 4. A building foundation according toclaim 1, including devices for connecting the building to an electricitysupply source and for distributing said electricity mounted in saidservice space.
 5. A building foundation according to claim 1, includingloosely-lying insulating blocks insulating said service space.
 6. Abuilding foundation according to claim 1, wherein said service space hasa bottom, a part of said bottom being located at a lower level than therest of said bottom, thereby forming a trench structure.
 7. A buildingstructure which includes a foundation having ground floor and sidewalls, a first floor supported above said ground floor so as to providea service space therebetween, said first floor being dimensioned toprovide an open substantially horizontal gap between an outer edgethereof and said foundation side walls, and a heating means located insaid service space for heating air in the entirety of said servicespace, said heating means exhausting heated air directly into saidservice space to form a heated service space and causing said heated airto flow upwardly through said gap to heat an area above said firstfloor.
 8. A building structure according to claim 7, further includingan electrical supply box located in said service space, and electricalcables which extend from said electrical supply box upwardly throughsaid gap to electrical socket outlets located in an area above saidfirst floor.